Airport, meet kiosk
At the recent Airport Transport IT Summit held in Brussels, SITA introduced KATE.
The first ever smart kiosk which they plan to install in airports in the coming months.
Kiosk or robot?
As automation continues to find its way into every working sector, airports are not immune. SITA knows that airlines are in need of a more efficient way to take care of their growing number of passengers.
In contrast to the current kiosks that are installed in many airports, KATE is not stationary.
In fact, KATE has been designed to sense where she is needed and move throughout the airport without running into anyone in the process. SITA says she uses a combination of geo-location and object avoidance technology. The intelligent design also allows KATE to use her mobility to automatically return to the docking station when the battery is low or she needs more supplies.
Leaving big issues to the pros
One of the main reasons KATE is being introduced to airports is to serve passengers who need to re-book flights due to unforeseen delays and cancellations. By taking on this service, airline employees will have more time to dedicate to passengers dealing with more complicated issues.
KATE has also been given the ability to monitor flight and passenger information to provide faster services.
In addition, SITA has invented a brand new payment system called “point to point encryption technology” (P2PE) which will accept various credit cards. The stationary kiosks at most airports currently have no option for making a payment if someone has extra bags or wants to upgrade.
Not a one trick pony
According to Renaud Irminger, the Director of SITA labs, KATE “leverages a new technology to provide…more flexibility and efficiency.” In addition to making its way into airport terminals, the kiosk can also work off-site.
Talks have been in the works of having the smart kiosks available at train stations, conventions and cruise ports to assist passengers of all types of travel.
Although KATE can be considered just another automated machine, the purpose of the invention is to relieve some of workload from airport employees. KATE was designed to help congested areas so that everyone can move through the airport faster and more efficiently.
#Kate
